The invention relates to liners for protective headgear and, more specifically, to the integration of a pump mechanism with an inflatable liner assembly.
For protection of a user's head, it is necessary that protective headgear such as football helmets be properly sized and provide adequate support. To achieve this goal, various inflatable liners and padding configurations have been developed. Valves and pumps have also been developed to vary both the degree and distribution of liner inflation.
The inflatable liners have taken a number of forms. Some liners have an upper inflatable ring and a lower relatively larger inflatable ring connected to one another by an array of inflatable tubes so as to form a crown-like shape. A valve is positioned in one of the tubes for communication with a hole at the rear (or top) of the helmet shell. This valve arrangement permits access externally by a separate air-pump. Once the helmet has been positioned on the user's head, the pump is engaged with the valve, i.e., a needle at one end of the pump is inserted into the valve. The liner is then filled with air by operation of the pump.
Other inflatable liners utilize a pair of such crown-like units, one unit being sized to fit inside the other. The valve of the innermost unit faces the user's head, being accessible through the interior of the helmet shell only. Hence, to adjust the liner, the helmet must be removed from the user's head.
Still other inflatable liners comprise a strip of inflatable chambers positioned so as to extend from temple to temple about the sides and rear of the helmet shell. A flap extension hangs from the strip midsection for supporting the occipital protrusion of a user's head. A valve is positioned in the flap extension for communication with a hole at the rear of the helmet shell. An inflatable liner of this general configuration is shown, for example, in co-pending application Ser. No. 728,832, filed Jul. 9, 1991, entitled INFLATABLE LINER FOR PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR, disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Because impact forces experienced during play may cause leakage of air from these valves, it may be desirable to add air to the liner during use. Also, if the user's head . expands, whether due to increased intensity of play or expansion of the user's head, loosening of the liner might be desireable to maintain comfort. In addition, because increased perspiration of the user's head may decrease friction between the liner and the head, tightening of the liner may also be desireable. Either way, for proper adjustment, the user must either carry around a portable pump or return to the "bench" during active play to obtain assistance in inflating the liner. This not only inconveniences the user, but also delays active play.
In addition, the imprecision associated with manual liner inflation often results in overinflation which decreases blood circulation about the user's head causing pain or discomfort. Excessive stress on the liner due to overinflation may also cause the liner to rupture.
Should underinflation or valve leakage occur, e.g., upon impact, the distribution of air inside the liner becomes unequal, causing the helmet to fit loosely upon the user's head. A poor fit may diminish the protective capability of the helmet.
Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a practical, efficient, reliable and economical inflatable liner formed integrally with a pump mechanism for providing continuous adjustment of the headgear liner during use without sacrificing fit, comfort or durability.
The above and other objects of the present invention are realized in a specific, illustrative integrated pump and inflatable liner assembly which comprises a hollow inflatable member for the reception and storage of fluid, the inflatable member having a selected configuration so as to line the protective headgear and partially encircle a user's head; the inflatable member housing at least one resilient member for protection of the user's head; and a pump formed integrally with the inflatable member for moving fluid therein. When the member is positioned inside a helmet, the pump is exposable for adjustment by the user. A bleed valve in the hollow member controls the passage of fluid from the hollow member.